One can find in the East Asian seas over one-third of all coral reefs and mangroves and the highest levels of biodiversity for coral reef fish, mollusks, mangroves and sea-grass species. Its coastal areas are very densely populated, with nine of the world's megacities (with population of more than 10 million), along with another dozen cities of more than five million residents found in the region. Economically, marine and coastal industris including fishing, ports and shipping and coastal tourism comprise 15 to 20 percent of the GDP in some East Asian countries.

La Viña, T. (2015, November 24). Climate change and our seas. Manila Standard, pp. A10, A11.